Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

Located near Okuma Auditorium, the restaurant offers a wide variety of set meals and desserts made with carefully selected ingredients.
"Aba's Cafe"

[Interview, text and photography]
Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC Student Staff)
Saya Tanabe 4th year School of Culture, Media and Society

Aba's Cafe is named after the Tsugaru dialect word "aba," which means "mother." The owner, Mikuni Saori, is a local from Aomori, and the cafe is a homey place where you'll be greeted with a warm, motherly atmosphere. 13 years have passed since she started the cafe alone after the cake shop she ran with Saori's friends closed, and the extensive set menu that was introduced when the cafe first opened has made it a beloved cafe in the area.

Another attractive feature is its convenient location, just a 3-minute walk from Okuma Auditorium along Waseda Street. We will tell you about the charms of aba's cafe, which is perfect for student lunches!

Left: The exterior of the store. The landmark is a soft serve ice cream sculpture made from raw milk, which is popular with local children.
Photo on the right: Inside the restaurant. There are about 20 seats and a warm atmosphere. It is a place of relaxation for Waseda University faculty and staff, as well as local residents.

The lunch menu offers a wide variety of set meals that are made with high-quality ingredients and with the health of the diners in mind. You can choose between white rice and brown rice, and I chose brown rice. This time, I had the owner's recommended "Selectable Grilled Fish Set Meal." The fish is sourced from Toyosu every day, and the type changes depending on the availability. On this day, there were four types of set meals: Hirasu Saikyo Miso, Coho Salmon Saikyo Miso, Mackerel Miso, and Horse Mackerel Nanbu Sauce. I ordered the white fish Hirasu. The Hirasu is packed with umami, and when combined with the sweetness of the Saikyo Miso, it was so delicious that my cheeks fell off, and I was impressed by the texture that made the meat fall apart.

We will also introduce the "pork steak", which is popular among students due to its volume. There are two types of sauce, honey mustard and Japanese-style onion, and this time we chose honey mustard. The sour flavor of the mustard and the sweetness of the meat fat are an exquisite match that makes you want to eat more rice. Another healthy and delightful touch is that it is served with lots of crunchy lettuce topped with homemade carrot dressing. Refreshing side dishes of chilled tofu and pickled radish are also included.

"Pork steak with honey mustard" 1,000 yen. Not only is it filling, but it also has a perfect nutritional balance.

In addition, there is a wide variety of other dishes on the menu, such as "Stir-fried eggplant and pork with miso" (950 yen) and "Mushroom and porcini mushroom cream risotto" (1,200 yen), which are made with miso from the local Aomori prefecture. You'll definitely want to come here every day!

"Baked pudding" 300 yen. A reasonably priced masterpiece made with great care

After your meal, take a break with a special dessert. Instead of refined sugar, they offer healthy desserts made with agave syrup and cane sugar, which have the effect of suppressing a sudden rise in blood sugar levels. This time, I chose the baked pudding, the surface of which is charred with a burner once the order is placed. The caramel part, which you break into pieces with a spoon and eat, is exquisite, and the mellow flavor of the eggs and milk makes you want to eat as many as you can.

These are not the only desserts we recommend; other popular items include soft serve ice cream made with raw milk and oven-baked cream puffs. You can also order just the desserts, so why not try them as a snack between your afternoon classes?

"Okuma Shigeno Bolo" (right) and "Natsume Sose Cake" (left) were developed in response to a request from Professor Owan Hideo (Faculty of Political Science and Economics), a regular customer who wanted a souvenir unique to Waseda University.

By the way, at the entrance of the store, there is also a sales corner for baked goods handmade by the owner. Among them, "Okuma Shigenobu Bolo" and "Natsume Sauce Cake" are two baked goods recommended by the owner, named after Okuma Shigenobu, a great man associated with Waseda University, and Natsume Soseki, who lived in Waseda. You can purchase just one, so please give them a try.

Why not spend some relaxing time at "aba's cafe," where the warm atmosphere and wholesome menu will make you feel at home?

store information
[Store name】aba's cafe
[address】1F Rose Waseda, 518-17 Waseda Tsurumakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
[TEL】03-6380-2160
[business hours】10:30～18:30
[Closed Day】Sundays and public holidays
[Website] https://abas-cafe.wixsite.com/abas-cafe
[Instagram] @abas_cafe

*All prices in the article include tax.